Box Score 1 Dodge City, looking for another strong season, opened the 2025-26 season with a pair of wins at the Western Nebraska CC Classic in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, as the Conquistadors earned a 67-52 win over #11 Salt Lake and a 96-41 victory over Colorado Northwestern. 

The wins make it three years in a row that ladies have opened the season with back-to-back wins, while it's the seventh straight year of winning the season opener. 

Won 67-52 vs #11 Salt Lake
The Conqs opened the season with a cold start, falling behind 11-4 over the first seven minutes of the action, but finished the first quarter on a 5-0 run to trail just 11-9 after the first 10 minutes of the season. An early bucket by the Conqs in the second quarter tied the game up, and then the Conqs would go on to outscore Salt Lake 19-13 in the second to hold a 28-24 lead at intermission. The shots started to fall consistently in the second half as they rained in five three-pointers over the first six minutes of the third quarter, and the Conqs led 47-39. Leading 52-42 entering the fourth quarter, the Conqs would see Salt Lake go on a 10-2 run to draw within two at 54-52 with 3:30 minutes remaining. Savi Mi helped lead the charge down the stretch for the Conqs, scoring eight of the team's final 15 points in the game as they held off Salt Lake for the 67-52 win. 

Conqs shot 45.8% from the field in the win, hitting 15 three-pointers with 16 assists on 22 made field goals. Four Coqns tallied double figures in the win with 13 points each for Manuela Piljevic and Mi. Piljevic was 5-12 from the field, adding seven rebounds, and four assists, while Mi was 4-5 shooting, including 3-3 with four rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Charlie Melksham tallied 11 points on 3-4 shooting, including 3-3 from three-point range, adding six rebounds and two assists. Saje Evans chipped in 10 points on 4-5 shooting, including 2-2 from three. 

Won 96-41 vs Colorado Northwestern
Shots were falling early and often for the Conqs in the second game of the season as Jolie Mantz rained in a pair of early threes, and the Conqs jumped on Colorado early. An 8-0 run to finish the first quarter saw the Conqs up 21-6 after just the first 10 minutes, and the Conqs would go on to outscore Colorado Northwestern 27-8 in the second stanza to lead 48-14 at halftime. Up 65-27 after the third quarter, the Conqs would continue to get contributions from all around, closing out the game with a 31-point fourth quarter, securing the 96-41 victory. 

Conqs shot 45.2% as a team, netting 18 three-pointers and were 12-14 from the free throw line with 28 assists on 33 made field goals, while the defense had 17 steals and five blocks. 

Mantz paced the Conqs with 23 points on 8-13 shooting, including 7-12 from behind the arc. Jade Célérier posted a double-double with 10 points on 4-8 shooting and dished out 10 assists, while also recording four steals. Evans tallied 14 points, going 4-7 from three-point range, while Piljevic scored 11 points on 5-10 shooting. 

The Conqs will be at home for the first time this season for their next game as they will host North Platte on Tuesday, November 11th, at 6:00 pm.